Who will win this years World Championship ?

First topic message reminder :

Who's your favourite for this years title ?

One of the seeds ? Or will it be a qualifier ?

I would have hated to have seen a whitewash.

Me too, unless it was someone I really despised (like Mark King).

Yeah, then you get that wee chuckle inside

Much as I'm inclined to rip the .... out of Lee because of his size, he's a pretty impressive sight in full flow. Amazing cue power brought about by what I can only assume is just the most fantastic timing. Some of the side shots are as breathtaking and "powerful" as Trump's without the effort.

It's his cue action. As smooth as silk itself. Fantastic timing on it too. He has the best cue action imo, followed by Murphy. The little pause on Murphy's backswing is a trademark of his. Luca Brecel's cue action was very Murphy like.

STEPHEN LEE IS OUT!! Beaten 10-6 by Higginson. The 4th seed is out (ie the 4th player who is seeded, not the 4th seed himself). Allen, Gould, Murphy and Lee are out. The average BMI has decreased considerably...

Actually he is the fifth seed to fall. You are forgetting No.16 seed Stuart Bingham.

They are falling like flies...

Well Graeme Dott is all but out so that makes six.

Dott looked aweful yesterday. I really felt for the guy.

Getting a hiding from Average Joe Perry. I really do feel sorry for him.

Perry isnt the best is he. Dott just looked totally gone yesterday, never looked confident for a second

Nah, Perry's just extremely average when compared to most other players.

9-1 Perry, this will be over quckly. Dott's just not bothered.

Thats what i mean, compared to the other top players, Perry just isnt that good but always seems to do enough. Just like what Mark King did for years.
Its basically a walkover for Perry.

Ha, Mark King is terrible. I suppose it was because of the old ranking systems that Perry remained in the top 16 for years.

Good boy Ryan. 6-4 up. I think Day is one of the nightmare 1st round draws. If he plays like he can, he will probably win.

All over now. Another seed out. Is that 5 now? The record is 8.

Perry wins 10-1 over Dott. That's a proper hiding.

Day has to be the worst 1st round opponant for any player. I still think that Ding will win though

Yeah probably but it would be nice to see Ryan go through. Remember, the winner has Cao.

Oh i would really love it if Day went through. I like the guy

So do I but he's not the best at getting snookers. Did you see Selby last night on that final red?

No i didnt, what happened?

Selby needed 4 snookers to win the frame against Barry Hawkins are there was 1 red left. They went on for half an hour, Selby got 3 of them but Barry eventually closed the frame out. It lasted about an hour in total.

And today, Ding has had a LOT of luck.

Selby is much like Ebdon in that regard, rarely will you see them concede a frame easily.

Which is what I admire about them, yet it annoys me sometimes

That's it for Ryan now I think. Looks to be 8-4 and having very bad luck.

I have it at 8-6?

Yeah 8-6. Typo. I was halfway between saying 8-6 and "won four frames in a row from 6-4 to 8-6".

Day has not had any luck but hopefully he will turn it around. I honestly expected Ding to win.

Ding Fluffs, Day in with a chance here.

And Day suffers more extreme bad luck. Feel bad for him.

Another typo above, I think I've fixed it.

Now its over, to big an ask to win 4 frames in a row against Ding.

Nothing, absolutely nothing has worked for Day today.

I've watched the entire session and can't say I've seen that Ding has been lucky. To me, Day has looked (understandably) nervous from the start, even the first frame that he won the balls were going in off the jaws rather than in the middle of the pocket.

Ding has played some very solid match snooker with good breaks when required. Day has played some good safety but not taken advantage of any of his opportunities to score.

Yeah. It's been horrific bad luck for him and nothing more.

It's the little flicks and lucky cannons (and that plant) and when the white didn't drop that's done it for him. He's gone now.

Unbelievable to lose 5 on the trott. No way back, gutted for him.

That said, if he won the next two frames, Ding could feel the prssure.

Big "if". To me, that's Ding's 2nd biggest weakness. I think he's very susceptible to pressure. His biggest weakness being consistency.

It is a big if but as you say, under pressure Ding is not the strongest. Day looks to have one back

Come on, the white dropping would have been bad luck on Ding it's not good luck just because he didn't go in off. It looked to me as though he played the plant and take this latest frame, Day missed a relatively simple red and covered it.

I'm not criticising Day, Ding has just been better. So far...........

I fear you've both been blinkered by your desire for Day to win.

Good lead now for Day but Ding has a chance

Of course I have. But to be fair to myself, Ding hasn't played anything like his usual self.

Phew, Day wins a frame

One more and Ding may feel some pressure.

So, did Cao hit the white twice? I can't see it (but then again my screen is pretty bad). Terry thinks so.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/snooker/17808256

In Holland so i cant see that link but i have seen it on eurosport HD and it was defo a push.

Sorry, forgot about that.

Here we go. Ding... is in.

I dunno, Ding's been pretty solid so far. I'm always more impressed when players can win not playing their best rather than when they're "knocking them in off the lampshade". At this level they can all make centuries for fun but I think it's all about the nitty gritty and playing the best shots for their game.

First really poor shot from Ding for a while though so who knows........

Yeah, that's what I meant. Ding's not playing well but is winning. It's the sign of a good player, like John Higgins last year. Higgins hasn't played well for exactly a year now but still won the title last year.

Day with a chance now

Would love to see him have a century break here. Would do wonders for his confidence.

Day beginning to flow again but will he continue once he realises he's back in the match? This is the joy of a best of nineteen.